KarunaNews Story

For one extended family on Maui, staying with family and friends has a whole new meaning after the devastating Lahaina wildfire. The stepfather of one Lahaina woman has opened his property to her and her husband's extended family — cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, and some friends. At times, as many as 87 people have been housed in the compound, as many as 25 to 30 children and 50 or 60 adults. "This is life in Hawaii," says Travis Cabanilla Okano, who is here with his wife, three kids and other relatives. "We grew up sleeping in our cousin's house. We grew up sleeping with 20 of us in one little room... Letting our kids and us be together like that brings a lot of comfort for me." In the two weeks since the fire, this large family and others who are staying here are finding a new rhythm as they think about how they'll rebuild their lives. At night, they gather and talk. And sometimes with friends like Max Louis, they have music.